It's always a party at Stockton store

STOCKTON - If you were to relocate a business, you probably couldn't have selected a worse spot at a worse time: when the main road outside is closed for more than a year while crews construct an underpass.

5,000: chairs in stock (folding or stackable)2,500: tables (rectangular, round, even kids size)1,500: number of people at the largest corporate events30: hou...

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By the numbers

5,000: chairs in stock (folding or stackable)

2,500: tables (rectangular, round, even kids size)

1,500: number of people at the largest corporate events

30: hours a week one employee spends cleaning and pressing linens

Thousands upon thousands: number of balloons of all colors

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STOCKTON - If you were to relocate a business, you probably couldn't have selected a worse spot at a worse time: when the main road outside is closed for more than a year while crews construct an underpass.

But Mark Ehlers wouldn't have it any other way.

So what if Lower Sacramento Road is closed at Eight Mile Road, just a stone's throw from the front doors of his twin businesses, Arthur's Party World and Ehlers Health Care. And so what if there's a constant noise of big machinery scraping, digging, dumping, paving and building.

It's an opportunity.

"It was scary to leave that location (on Rosemarie Lane) that was so well known," Ehlers said. "But we've had a lot of foot traffic."

And, once the construction is completed in the fall, he said there is likely to be a stoplight at Lower Sacramento Road and Whistler Way - his businesses sit on the northwest corner of the intersection - which means people will look around to see what's around them. And they'll be tempted to come in.

Although much of his business at Arthur's Party World is china and linen rental for parties, there's also a lot of business in helium and balloons.

"We do a ton of balloons," he said. "I'm just amazed at all the balloon business we do."

His party business also can supply dance floors, canopies, heaters, staging, chocolate fountains and candelabras - not to mention chairs, tables, china and linens.

And, oh, those linens. Spotless. Ehlers takes pride in maintaining the china and linens in house.

The hardest stain to remove? Lipstick. Even with industrial-strength soap, it sometimes takes three or four washings and brushings.

Just next door to the room with the rainbow wall of paper plates perpendicular to the wall of bins of balloons of every color imaginable is a room with collections of its own: canes, walkers, scooters, circulation socks, wheelchairs and various home health care supplies. It's Ehlers Health Care, also owned by Ehlers.

These seemingly non-related businesses, Ehlers said, are actually a good fit.

"It's actually the same sort of service-oriented business," Ehlers said. "We can cross-pollinate the businesses." Both require deliveries, service and compassion.

There's nothing but growth ahead for the home health care business, Ehlers said. As for the party business, he's still optimistic.

While there aren't as many big-time events because large corporations and businesses have backed off, there are more smaller, family-oriented events.

"The good side (to the down economy) is that people do more parties in their homes," he said. "Instead of getting married in a big hall, they're getting married in the backyard or someone's nice home. People are going back to more of their roots. They appreciate having a job, having a family, having a church."

And as long as they keep celebrating, Ehlers hopes to keep supplying them.